Exeter

Exeter's population grew between the last two censuses. At the same time there were changes in religion, marriage and ethnicity.

The population reached nearly 120,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Exeter increased by 6.0%, from about 111,000 to 118,000.

The addition of just under 6,700 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Exeter was home to, on average, 18 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Exeter

Latest census data also show that the median age of Exeter remained 35 years in the decade to 2011.

This city had the second-lowest average age in the South West and remained somewhat younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of just over 3,400 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 900.

About 20% of people in Exeter are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Exeter by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Exeter

The number of people in Exeter that described themselves as having no religion increased from just under 23,000 in 2001 to about 41,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 20% to 35% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the South West (from 17% to 30%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Exeter that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 77,000 in 2001 to about 63,000 in 2011 (from 69% to 54%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation remained close to 9,500 (8.1%)

About 1,900 people (0.8%) said they were Muslim, up from about 860 in 2001 (1.6%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population without a religion in Exeter increased by 14 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Exeter by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Exeter working less than 16 hours increased from 2.6% to 4.1% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 13 (7.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 11% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the South West. As a result, this area had the region’s highest proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week and the lowest proportion of people working long hours.

Bath and North East Somerset had the South West's second highest proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week (3.9%), while West Devon had the region's third highest proportion (3.6%).

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Exeter increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Exeter, the South West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More students

Exeter saw the South West's second-largest rise in the proportion of students.

In 2011, just under 1 in 18 (5.6%) people aged 16 to 74 in Exeter said they were in education, compared with 4.4% in 2001. The percentage that were employed remained close to 52%.

Across the region, only Bath and North East Somerset saw a greater rise in the proportion of students (from 3.5% to 5.1%).

The percentage of students in Exeter increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Exeter, the South West and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple increased in Exeter, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the South West.

Every local authority area across the South West saw a rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple, as the regional average grew from 8.4% to 10%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was higher than across the South West

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

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